Genista 

Pamily. Legumes. 

Where grow? Mediterranean, Europe, Africa, Canary Islands.

Description. Genista is an evergreen or deciduous, hardy shrub or small tree up to 2.5 m in height. 

The branches are thin, green, whip-like, sparsely covered with leaves, drooping. 

The leaves are simple, oblong-lanceolate or divided into three segments 1 - 2 cm long, green. The leaf blades have fine pubescence on the underside.

The flowers are golden yellow or white, fragrant, almost hiding the foliage, collected in inflorescences - brushes.

After flowering, seed pods are formed.

Height. Depends on the type - from 60 cm to 2.5 m.

Genista - planting and care

When it blooms 

Late spring – early summer.

Reproduction, growing from seeds 

Seeds can be sown in early spring. Stem cuttings. 

Transplant 

Only if necessary. Genista takes a long time to grow when the root system is damaged - try to handle it together with a lump of earth.

Growing conditions - temperature

From spring to autumn, the usual room temperature of 18 - 22 ° C is good. In winter, the plant must be given a rest period in a cool place with a temperature of about 10 ° C. It tolerates short frosts. 

Lighting

A well-lit place with direct sunlight in the evening or morning.

Keeping at home

This hardy plant is ideal for beginning gardeners. Prune the genista shoots every year to maintain a compact, bushy form. Try not to prune old branches - they need a lot of time to recover. Remove faded flowers. The bush will appreciate fresh air in the warm season.

Watering

During the growing season, watering is plentiful and quite frequent. In winter, reduce watering. 

Soil

Adapts well to almost any type of soil, but prefers nutrient-poor soils with good drainage.

Fertilizer

During the period of active growth, monthly fertilizers with a high potassium content. 

Spraying 

It is advisable to spray periodically. 

Varieties:

Genista tinctoria

A low-growing deciduous shrub with green, abundantly branching stems up to 60-90 cm high. The leaves are green, compound, consisting of 3 oblong-oval or oblong-lanceolate segments up to 2.5 cm long with slightly pubescent edges. The flowers are golden-yellow, typical of leguminous plants, collected in inflorescences - apical panicles, opening sequentially - from the base to the tops of the shoots. The flowering period is long, occurring in July - August. A yellow dye is obtained from the flowers and young shoots of plants of this variety. 

Genista hispanica

A small deciduous, multi-stemmed shrub with a rounded crown up to 75 - 80 cm high. The green stems of the plant bear small sharp spines. The leaves are small, green, complex - consisting of 3 oblong segments. During the flowering period, which occurs in late spring - early summer, the plant adorns itself with numerous golden flowers, located mainly on the tops of the stems.

Prickly gorse Ulex

Prickly evergreen plants with multiply branched spiny shoots of green color. Each shoot is abundantly covered with long and sharp spines. The leaves are green, simple, arranged alternately or collected in whorls. The flowers are golden yellow and abundantly cover the upper part of the shoots. 

Genista lydia

Low deciduous shrubs up to 60 cm high, with abundantly branching, thin, lodging shoots. They are often grown as ground cover plants or as hanging plants - when long thin stems hang over the edges of pots in a beautiful cascade. The leaves are small, green, simple, arranged alternately. The flowers are golden yellow and cover the plant so abundantly that they often completely hide the shoots and leaves. 

Genista germanica

Shrub up to 60 cm high with erect or lodging stems covered with small thorns. Young shoots are green and covered with slight pubescence. The leaves are simple, oblong-lanceolate, also covered with small down. The flowers are lemon yellow or golden, abundantly covering the tops of the shoots in May - June.